Curtain heading



L. FISCHEL CURTAIN HEADING Fgb. 28, 1939.

Filed May 15, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l WM H fi m niumwirmn m ulumn mm INVE.NTO R Zea/er 'Flrrflzl ATTORNEY Feb. 28, 1939. L. FISCHEL 2,149,011

CURTAIN HEADING Filed May 13, 1937' s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY L. FISCHEL 7 2,149,011

CURTAIN HEADING Feb. 28, 1939.

Filed May 13, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i NVEN'roR sler Elsriwl ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1939 CURTAIN HEADING vLester Fischel, New York, N. Y., assignor to Patchogue-Plymoutli Mills Corporation, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 13, 1937, Serial No. 142,326

' 12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in lace curtains and lace curtain headings, and more particularly headings for curtains of the character disclosed generally in, among others, United States Letters Patent Nos. Des. 92,955, dated August 7, 1934; 1,971,712, dated August 28, 1934; Des. 96,539, dated August 13, 1935; 2,017,830, dated October 15, 1935; 2,054,051, dated September 8, 1936; and Des. 101,353, dated September One object of this invention is the production of a practically endless variety of radically different structural effects in curtain headings, by merely changing the relative proportions and contour of the contrasting open and close structure of the lace fabrics which are so designed as to be brought into optical registry when correctly ioldedl Another object is to reduce the suggestion of severity of appearance in curtain headings. Another object is a curtain having an upstanding heading with an indented, or rippled edge, as distinguished from zthe conventional straight line top edge of the prior art. Another object is curtain headings simulating the structural effects of wall tracery, and architectural designs such as is illustrated by a battlement or Wall of Troy." Another object is a curtain provided with a surplus lace fabric top portion foldable to produce an'ornamental heading as previously described, said surplus fabric top portion being long enough to compensate for any shrinkage wihich may occur in the curtain throughout its useful life during laundering, as by washing, said top portion being provided with a. plurality of passageways, which are either woven as a part of the pattern of, or are otherwiseformed in, the lace fabric of the top portion, the vertical spacing between certain of said passageways being sufficient to compensate for the maximum amount of shrinkage which may take place when the curtains are washed and laundered for the first time, as by the housewife, with the ordinary degree oi care, and the curtains are not stretched in such a manner, as to distort the pattern, or so as to maintain the original curtain lengthat the expense of the original curtain width. Other objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings comprising three sheets of twelve figures numbered Figs. 1 to 12 inclusive, certain embodiments, of the invention are set forth merely for purposes of illustration.

Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of a lace curtain, with particular reference to the orna- 5:; mental lace top portion.

39 of the surplus fabric top portion 24.

Fig. 2 is a verticalsection taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the lace curtain of Fig. 1 hung in folded condition to develop the s heading structure.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the heading of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a part of the ornamental lace surplus fabric top portion of another style or pattem', foldable to produce a 10 heading simulating a diilerent structural effect.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are plan views respectively 16 showing a part of the ornamental lace surplus fabric top portions of three different styles or patterns, respectively foldable to produce simulations of three radically difierent structural effects. 20

Fig. 10 is a plan view showing a part of a lace' fabric suitable for forming a hem topped curtain embodying the invention.

Fig. 11 is a front view of a portion of a hem topped curtain made from the fabric of Fig. 10 25 in hung position; and

Fig. 12 is an end view of the curtain of Fig. 11.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the curtain consists of a body portion 20 and a surplus fabric top portion 24 merging at 2| with the upper end of the body portion and in extension thereof. The surplus fabric top portion 24 extends from 5 the line of merger 2| to the extreme upper edge The lowermost cloth band 22 adjoins the upper edge of the body portion 20. Band 22 may be of relatively finer weave than the body portion 20. Any 40 preferred clothing effect may be employed in band 22; in Fig. 1 of the drawings the well-known checker pattern is illustrated. A row of eyelets forming an eyelet passageway 23 is woven in band 22 so as to form a part of the pattern.'-45 These eyelets are preferably elongated to receive a c shaped extension curtain rod of the type now in common use. The eyelets are preferably reinforced around their edges. The horizontal spacing between the several eyelets 22 may be 50 varied, but when uniformly spaced as illustrated in Fig. 1, a spacing of approximately two inches between centers measuring horizontally, gives good results when the curtain is draped and pleated. 66

A section of curtain material 25 of contrasting open structure 26 and close structure 21 extends above band 22. If the section of curtain material 25 were finished oil as the upper edge, a nonadjustable type of curtain would be produced, and the curtain could then be finished off as by folding section 25 transversely along its median line, the double ply of fabric thus formed being secured with a line of stitches, to form a hem finished top edge. This arrangement as applied to the uppermost finishing oif section of curtain material 36 is disclosed in Fig. 1.

When the inventive concept is applied however to an adjustable curtain, the section of curtain material 25 does not form the extreme upper edge of the curtain, but is extended to form an inter:

mediate cloth band 28 having a series of eyelets forming an eyelet passageway 29 woven therein, the whole constituting a repeat of lowermost cloth band 22 and eyelet passageway 23. A repeat of the pattern of section 25 is now woven at 36, open structure 3i corresponding to open structure 2t and close structure 32 to close structure 2?. The pattern may be again repeated to form another cloth band 33 having a series of eyelets forming an eyelet passageway 3t woven therein, surmounted by the uppermost finishing off section 36 containing open structure 35 and close structure 38 respectively duplicating 26, Si, and 2?, 32. The extreme upper edge of the curtain is indicated at 352. The curtain is now provided with a finished top edge by folding section 36 along its median line 37, and one or more lines of stitches 42 are provided to secure the folded plies together to form a hem 4i best indicated in Fig. 2. The hem finished upper edge of the curtain now pre sents the eye appearance of a solid edge 41 alternating with a series of indentations 40, and owing to the particular contour of the open structure 35, the formed indentations 40, simulate a Wall of Troy, battlement or rippled edge effect, as distinguished from the conventional straight line finished top edge of the prior art.

When the invention is applied to an adjustable curtain as shown in Fig. 1, the body portion may be of any predetermined standard length, adapted to be suspended upon a curtain rod 2t! (Fig. 3) by weaving the rod through the eyelets forming the eyelet passageway 23. The surplus fabric top portion 2% should be long enough to compensate for any shrinkage which may occur in the curtain throughout its useful life during laundering, as by repeated washings, and experience shows that in general a surplus fabric top portion approximately nine (9) inches long is sufiicient to compensate for shrinkage due to the repeated washings occasioned by repeated launderings. When the conventional C shaped ourtm'n rod is used the individual eyelets, of which the eyelet passageways 23, 2t and 34 are composed, are substantially elongated being approximately one (1) inch long, and wide enough to receive rod 24', an eyelet three eighths of an inch wide being in general large enough for this purpose. Certain of the eyelet passageways as for example passageways 23 and 29 are spaced at a suflicient distance apart to compensate for the maximum amount or shrinkage which may take place when the curtains are washed and laundered for the first time. -It should be understood that the curtains should be laundered with the ordinary degree of care, as employed by the housewife, and that the curtains should not be stretched in such a manner as to distort the pattern, or for the purpose of maintaining the origi- 112.] curtain length at the expense of the original curtain width. By experience it has been found that when the rows of eyelets are spaced on vertical centers measuring approximately three to three and one half (3 inches, sufiicient surplus fabric is provided to compensate for the maximum amount of shrinkage which may take place when the curtains are washed and laundered for the first time. It should be understood however that the above dimensions are merely illustrative of what experience shows is a desirable form of the invention. ,The length of the surplus fabric top portion 24, the number of eyelet passageways 23, 29 and 24, the horizontal spacing between eyelets, and the spacings between said eyelet passageways, may all be varied to meet particular conditions. It should also be understood that the inventive concept is applicable to headings for curtains having a body portion Zll made of a combination weave such as is disclosed generally in United States Letters Patent Des. 92,955, or to any other type of Weave for body portion 2t, and to either aligned or staggered rows of eyelets as variously disclosed in United States Letters Patent Nos. 1,971,712, 2,017,330, Des. 96,- 539 and Des. $01,353.

When an adjustable curtain embodying the construction shown generally in Fig. 1 is suspended upon a curtain rod to efiect minimum length adjustment, it is folded upon itself to form a out? having two or more folded plies with the eyelets forming the eyelet passageways 23, 29 and 3t, cooperating, to form a common passageway, for receiving curtain rod 24 (Fig. 3). When thus folded and suspended (as best shown in Figs. 3 and l) the transverse median line of the section of curtain material defines a line of fold which subdivides the open structure 26 into symmetrical figures having their complementary peripheral edges in optical registry to form the upstanding top edge 49 of the heading 48, and the transverse median line of section defines another line of fold which sub-divides the open structure 3i into symmetrical figures having their complementary peripheral edges in optical registry to form lower edge 50 (Fig. 3) of heading 48. The edge of each indentation 40, formed in hem 4|, will be in optical registry with its corresponding (aligned) open structure 26. The body portion 20 may be of any preferred pattern, and of any desired weave, or net, but the cuif forms a heading 48 which when viewed in front elevation (Fig. 3) presents the structural appearance of a battlement, or Wall of Troy," overhanging the body portion 2! (see Fig. i). When a heavy clothing is employed to form the close structure 21, 32 and 38, the upstanding edge M and the lower edge 50 of heading produce a silhouette effect which is in marked contrast to the relatively open appwrance of the net-like weave of the body portion 2il of the curtain.

The body portion 20 may be provided with an indented side edge 43, which may be woven as a part oi? the pattern, or may be formed by folding over and hemming the side edges of the curtain substantially in the manner described for forming hem M in the finishing ofi section 36 of the curtain. Similarly the bottom section 44 of 'the curtain may be provided with a repeat patzontal row is preferably formed relatively close to the side edge of the curtain, so as to hold the ends of the heading 48 in close proximity to curtain rod 24'.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate another embodiment of the invention as applied to an adjustable curtain having two eyelet passageways 23 and 34. In

this instance the open structure 526 and- 535 and the contrastingclose structure 521 and 538 is of an entirely different pattern from the corresponding open structure 26 and close structure 21 of the curtain shown in Fig. 1, so that the resulting heading produced by folding the curtain and hanging it upon a curtain rod 24' will be radically different in structural appearance from the heading illustrated in Fig. 3.

Similarly Figs. '7, 8 and 9 illustrate other applications of the inventive concept, Fig. 'I as applied to a cross lattice work; Fig. 8 as applied to a leaf pattern; and Fig. 9 as applied to a geometrical design. A series of curtains embodying the several constructions shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, would when folded and suspended in the manner previously described and *as illustrated generally in Fig. 3, produce a variety of curtain headings radically different in eye appearance and When after one or more washings, an observable shrinkage in the hung curtain takes place, the surplus fabric top portion 24 may be unfolded and the curtain suspended from another eyelet passageway, for example intermediate eyelet passageway 29, so as to compensate for the shrinkage due to washing, so that the vertical distance from eyelet passageway 28 to the bottom edge 45 of the body portion will be substantially the\same as the distance between eyelet passageway 23 and the bottom edge 45 of the curtain when new. So much of the surplus fabric top portion 24, as is not used to extend the body portion 20, may be conserved by folding it to form a heading 48 as before. After repeated washings it may finally become necessary to utilize all of the surplus fabric top portion 24 to extend the body portion 28, in which event rod 24' is threaded through the uppermostteyelet passageway, which in the form illustrated in Fig. 1, would be eyelet passageway 34.

Sections of curtain material 25, 30 and 36, are of such depth, that the edge 48 formed above the rod by the folded plies (Fig. 4), or by the hem 4| standing above rod 24' when the curtain is hung from eyelet passageway 23 only, is always erect and self-supporting, without starching or other special treatment.

It should beunderstood that in general the invention is applied to ready-to-hang curtains either pair goods or panels. which are made in varying finished widths and of different finished standard lengths. For example, an ordinary standard length curtain two yards long, would be replaced by one of applicants curtains approximately 2 (or more) yards long, overall, the body portion 20 being two yards long and the balsageways for receiving a curtain rod (Fig. 11).

In this case the body portion 28 may be extended to form the section of lace of contrasting open 5| and close structure 52, a repeat thereof 54 and 55 being woven in spaced relation thereto above a section of contrasting lace work 53. "Section 53 extending beyond close structure 52, and section 56 extending beyond close structure 55 are repeats of the same pattern and may or may not be repeats of the body portion 20 as desired. The curtain material is folded along the horizontal median line 51, and the doubleply formed by section 53 and folded top edge 56 secured by spaced lines of stitches 58 and 59 (Fig. 12) to form a hem for receiving curtain rod 24,. The upstanding edge 58. positioned above rod 24' (Fig. 11) will present the appearance of a series of indentations or ripples 5|. It is obvious that the structural appearance of the heading may be made to vary quite substantially by changing the pattern of the contrasting open structure 54 and close structure 55 of the curtain material (Fig. 10).

What is claimed is:

1. As an article of manufacture a lace curtain having a body portionand a surplus fabric top portion in extension thereof, a rod-engaging passageway formed along the line of merger of the body and top portions, the lace in the top portion being of open alternating with close structure of contrasting pattern to the body portion, said open structure being symmetrically disposed about a line extending across the top portion in parallel with the passageway and in spaced relation-thereto, said top portion being folded along said line to form a double ply curtain heading with oppositely disposed portions of the open structure in optical registry defining an indented top edge for the heading, said heading being selfsupporting and standing erect when the curtain is threaded upon a curtain rod, and a line of stitches passing through both of said folded plies to secure said heading in position.

2. As a new article of manufacture a lace curtain having a body portion and a surplus fabric top portion in extension thereof, an eyelet passageway formed along the line of merger of the body and top portions, the lace in the top portion being of open alternating with close structure of contrasting pattern to the body portion, said open structure being symmetrically disposed about a line extending across the top portion in parallel with the passageway and in spaced relation thereto, said top portion being folded along said line to form a double ply curtain heading with oppositely disposed portions of the open structure in optical registry defining an indented top edge for the heading, said heading being self-supporting and standing erect when the curtain is threaded upon a curtain rod, and a line of stitches passing through both of said folded plies to secure said heading in position.

3. As a new article of manufacture a lace curtain having a body portion and a surplus fabric top portion in extension thereof; a band of lace of open alternating with close structure extending across the curtain and serving to unite the body and top portions, said, band being of contrasting pattern to the body portion and defining a row of horizontally spaced vertically elongated slots constituting an eyelet passageway with sections of clothing therebetween; a section of lace extending beyond the upper end of the band, said section being of close alternating with open structure, the open structure being symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the transverse median line of said section in parallel spaced relation to the eyelet passageway, said section being of contrasting pattern to both the body portion and the band and folded along said transverse median line to form a double ply curtain headin with oppositely disposed portions of the open structure in optical registry defining an indented top edge for the heading, said heading being selfsupporting and standing erect when the curtain is threaded upon a curtain rod, and a line of stitches passing through both of said folded plies to secure said heading in position.

4. As a new article of manufacture an adjustable lace curtain having a body portion and a surplus fabric top portion adapted to be utilized to effect length adjustment of said body portion and when not so utilized conserved as an ornamental heading or as a valance, said top portion comprising spaced parallel lace bands of a repeat pattern contrasting with the pattern of the body portion alternating with an equal number of lace sections of a repeat pattern contrasting with the pattern of the body portion and of the lace bands, each lace band being of open alternating with close structure defining a row of horizontally-spaced vertically-elongated slots constituting an eyelet passageway with sections of clothing therebetween; each lace section also being of open alternating with close structure, the open structure being symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the transverse median line of the corresponding section, so that when the curtain is folded along said median line to form an ornamental heading, oppositely disposed portions of the open structure are brought into optical registry to define an indented edge for the heading and the eyelet passageways in the formed fold are brought into cooperative registry to form a common passageway for a curtain rod, the uppermost lace section being folded back along its median line to define an indented hem finished top edge, and a line of stitches passing through both of said folded plies to secure said hem in position.

5. As a new article of manufacture a lace curtain heading, said heading including a plurality of spaced horizontal bands of relatively close structure for obstructing the free passage of light therethrough with sections of lace therebetween, each band including a row of vertically elongated slots constituting a passageway for a curtain rod, said sections of lace being a repeat pattern of open and close structure, each section of lace having its open structure symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of its transverse median line, said heading being variously foldable transverse the median line of the open structure of any lace section to bring certain rows of eyelets into registry to form a common eyelet passageway for the curtain rod with the open structure of said lace sections in the formed fold in optical registry, the upper edge of the formed fold constituting a Wall of Troy, and the bottom edge of the formed fold surmounting and overhanging the body portion of the hung curtain.

6. As a new article of manufacture an adjustable lace curtain heading adapted to be suspended upon a curtain, rod to simulate a Wall of Troy, said heading comprising three or more spaced horizontal lace bands alternating with a lesser number of sections of lace disposed between the bands, an additional section of said lace extending beyond the uppermost band to form the marginal edge of the heading each of said lace' bands being a repeat pattern of close alternating with open structure, said open structure defining a plurality of vertically elongated slots, said slots being variously threadable upon a curtain rod to suspend the heading, each of said sections of lace being a repeat pattern of close alternating with open structure contrasting with the pattern of said lace bands, the upper and lower horizontally adjoining halves of the open structure of each section of lace being symmetrical to form an indented edge for the curtain heading and to effect optical registry of the upper and lower halves of the pattern of a section of lace when said heading is so folded as to bring its adjacent lace hands into optical registry, the marginal edge of the heading being folded back along its transverse median line to form an optically registered indented upper edge for the curtain heading, and a line of stitches passing through both plies of the folded marginal edge for retaining said plies thus folded in optical registry.

'7. As a new article of manufacture a lace curtain having a body portion and a'surplus fabric top portion in extension-thereof, a plurality of eyelet passageways formed across said curtain in parallel spaced relation to each other, the lowermost eyelet passageway being formed along the line of merger of the body and top portions, 9. section of lace extending between adjacent eyelet passageways, said section of lace being of open alternating with relatively close structure of contrasting pattern to the body portion, said close structure obstructing the free passage of light, the open structure of said section of lace being symmetrically disposed along a line extending across the top portion midway between adjacent eyelet passageways, said top portion being foldable along said line to form a double ply curtain heading with oppositely disposed portions of the open structure in optical registry defining an indented top edge for the heading, and a repeat pattern of the lower half of said section of lace extending above the uppermost eyelet passageway and defining an indented finished heading for the curtain when the same is suspended from the uppermost eyelet passageway only, said headings being self-supporting and standing erect when the curtain is threaded upon a curtain rod.

8. As an article of manufacture a ready-tohang adjustable lace curtain having a body portion and a surplus fabric top portion in extension thereof, a row of relatively widely spaced elongated slots constituting a first rod-engaging eyelet passageway woven at the line of merger of the body and top portions, another row of similarly spaced elongated slots constituting a second rod-engaging eyelet passageway woven in said top portion in parallel spaced relation to said first rod-engaging passageway, a row of relatively closely spaced openings woven across the surplus fabric top portion between said first and second rod-engaging eyelet passageways, each of said spaced openings defining a regular figure divisible into complementary figures symmetrically disposed upon opposite sides of the transverse line defining the median line between said rod-engaging passageways, the vertical spacing between said rod-engaging passageways being such that when said surplus fabric top portion is folded along said median line said rod-engaging passageways are brought into registry to form a common eyelet passageway for threadably receiving a suspension rod with a self-supported I heading extending thereabove, and the peripheral edges of the complementary symmetrically disposed figures of each spaced opening in the formed fold are thus broughtinto optical regissaid self-supported heading.

9. As an article of manufacture an adjustable lace curtain having a body portion and a surplus fabric top portion in extension thereof, a. first band of lace woven transverse said top portion at its line of merger with the body portion, a second band of lace woven transverse said top portion in spaced relation to said first band, a plurality of rows of spaced elongated slots, there being one row of spaced elongated slots woven in each of said lace bands, each row of spaced elongated slots constituting a rod-engaging eyelet passageway, the vertical spacing between said rod-engaging passageways being suflicient to compensate for the maximum amount of shrinkage which takes place when the curtain is washed in the process of laundering for the first time, a row of spaced openings woven between said rod-engaging passageways, said openings being spaced closer than said elongated slots, each spaced opening defining a regular figure divisible into complementary figures symmetrically disposed upon opposite sides of the transverse line defining the median line-between said rod-engaging passageway, so that when said top portion is folded along said median line said rod-engaging passageways are brought together to form a common eyelet passageway for threadably receiving a suspension rod with a self-supported heading extending thereabove, and the peripheral edges of the complementary symmetrically disposed figures of each spaced opening in the formed fold are thus brought into optical registry to form an ornamental indented top edge for said self-supported heading.

.10. As a new article of manufacture a readyto-hang adjustable lace curtain having a body portion and a surplus fabric top portion, said body and top portions being woven in one continuous piece, a first rod-engaging passageway comprising a first row of vertically elongated slots woven across the curtain at the line of merger of the body and top portions, a second rod-engaging passageway comprising a second row of vertically elongated slots woven across the surplus fabric of the top portion in parallel spaced relation to the first row of slots, the lace in the surplus fabric extending between said rows of slots consisting of open structure woven across the top portion in clothing of relatively close structure to form a row of clearly defined spaced openings, said spaced openings constituting regularfigures divisible into complementary portions symmetrically disposed upon opposite sides of the transverse median line between said rows of slots, so that when the top portion is folded along said median line the peripheral edges of the complementary portions of said spaced openings are brought into optical registry to form an ornamental double ply upstanding indented edge band at the top of the curtain and the rows of slots are brought into association to form a common slotted passageway for threadably receiving a curtain rod thus conserving said surplus in the form of a rod-reinforced ornamental flat cuff having an indented upstanding edge band above the rod, the spacing between said rows of slots being insumcient to impair the upstanding double ply indented top edge which is formed when the top portion is folded along said median line, the said spacing between said rows of slots being nevertheless sufiicient to provide enough surplus fabric to compensate for the maximum amount of shrinkage which takes place in the curtain try to define an ornamental indented top edge for when it is washed in the process of laundering for the first time, and the top portion terminating adjacent the second rod-engaging passageway in a finished edge band, so that after washing the :curtain may be threaded upon the second rodengaging passageway only to form an upstanding edge band above the rod and utilize the remainder of the surplus fabric top portion as a part of the body portion ,to maintain the curtain when thus rehung at substantially the same length as before.

11. As a new article of manufacture a readyto-hang adjustable lace curtain having a body portion and a surplus fabric top portion, operable to extend the body portion to effect length adjustment thereof, said body and top portions being-.woven in one continuous piece, said top portion terminating in a finished edge band, rows of vertically elongated slots woven in parallel spaced relation across the width of the curtain, each rowof slots constituting a different line of suspension for threadably receiving a curtain rod to adjustably regulate the length ofthe body portion of the curtain relative to the threaded rod, 2. first row of slots being woven along the line ofmerger of the body and top portions to effect minimum length adjustment of the curtain, the second row of slots being woven adjacent the finished edge band to effect maximum length adjustment of the curtain, a third row of slots being woven between said first and second rows of slots to effect an intermediate length adjustment of the curtain, adjacent rows of slots being spaced equi-dlstant apart, the spacing between the top and bottom rows of slots being sufficient to provide enough surplus fabric in the top portion to compensate for the cumulative effect of shrinkage due to repeated washings to which the curtain is subjected throughout the useful life thereof, the spacing between any two adjacent rows of slots being sufficient to provide a section of lace long enough to compensate for the maximum amount of shrinkage which takes place in the curtain when it is washed in the process of laundering for the first time only, each of said sections of lace consisting of open structure woven along the transverse median line between two adjacent rows of slots in clothing of relatively close structure to form a row of clearly defined regular figures divisible into complementary portions symmetrically disposed upon opposite sides of said median line, so that when the top portion is folded over along the median line between said first and third "rows of slots to eifect minimum length adjustment said surplus fabric is conserved in the form of a rod-reinforcible ornamental heading defining a valance, and when the top portion is folded over and over along the median lines-between all of the adjacent rows of slots in succession to effect minimum length adjustment or along the median line between adjacent upper rows of slots to eifect an intermediate length adjustment so much of the surplus fabric as is not utilized to extend the body portion is conserved in the form of a rodreinforcible ornamental heading defining a fiat cufi, said surplus fabric when folded along said median line or lines to form one of the said o namental headings thus bringing two or more rows of slots into association to form a common slotted passageway for a curtain rod and the peripheral edges 01' the complementary portions of the regular figures in the folded plies extending above the rod into optical registry to form an upstanding ornamentally indented top edge band for the curtain heading, said rod when threaded through any common slotted passageway locking the heading in place and preventing any change of curtain length, and the finished edge band at the top of the curtain forming an upstanding top edge extending above the rod when the curtain is threaded from the top row of slots only to effect maximum length adjustment of the curtain.

12. As a new article of manufacture a readyto-hang adjustable lace curtain having a body portion and a surplus fabric top portion operable to extend the body portion to efiect length adjustment thereof, said top portion being variously foldable to conserve the top portion in the form of an ornamental cuif or a valance dependent upon the surplus available for folding and the manner of folding the same, a first lace hand woven across the curtain at the line of merger of the body and top portions, a second lace band woven across the top portion adjacent the extreme upper edge thereof in parallel spaced relation to said first lace band, a third lace band woven across the top portion mid-way between said first and second lace bands, a series of rows of relatively widely horizontally-spaced vertically-elongated slots, there being one row of elongated slots woven in each of said lace bands, each row of elongated slots constituting a rodengaging eyelet passageway, the vertical spacing between the center lines of adjacent rows of elongated slots providing sufiicient surplus fabric to compensate for the maximum amount of shrinkage which takes place when the curtain is Washed in the process of laundering for the first time but the said surplus fabric between adjacent rows of elongated slots being insuflicient to fall over when folded midway between said rows of elongated slots, the vertical spacing between the center lines of the lowermost and uppermost rows of elongated slots providing sufficient surplus fabric to compensate for the cumulative effect of shrinkage due to repeated washings throughout the useful life of the curtain, a plurality of rows of spaced openings woven across the top portion, there being one such row of spaced openings positioned mid-way between each adjacent pair of rows of elongated slots, the number of spaced openings per row being greater than the number of elongated slots per eyelet passageway, each spaced opening defining a regular figure divisible into complementary portions symmetrically disposed upon opposite sides of the transverse line defining the median line between adjacent rod-engaging passageways, so that when said top portion is folded along one or more of said median lines two or more rodengaging passageways are brought together to form a common eyelet passageway for threadably receiving a suspension rod with an upstanding lace heading extending above the rod, and the peripheral edges of the complementary portions of each spaced opening in the formed fold are thus brought into optical registry to ornamentally indent the top edge of said upstanding lace heading.

LESTER FISCHEL. 

